Once A Stranger
by ItWasByMe97
Summary: They just met, but will their meeting change their lives? Creddie...  Have you ever made a mistake and you feel that the lesson is rubbing it in your face?
1. Carly

_**They just met, but will their meeting change their lives?

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_Carly's POV_

"Are you ready?" my best friend asked, her name is Samantha Puckett, but she wants to be called Sam. I nodded simply as we were about to enter our classroom as sophomores, but a guy, maybe from our class, sped by us. He was tall and has brown hair, which was what I only can see while he was running to our classroom.

"I think I am," I answered. As we took a step inside, some of my friends from the past year were waving at our direction and we waved back. We took the last two seats unoccupied at the back of our classroom and intently listened to what out adviser would be announcing.

"Welcome back students," our adviser greeted. "I am Ms. Underwood, but I'm not that old so all of you can call me Chloe," she introduced herself. I studied her features and she looks like a fresh graduate who passed with flying colors.

"Well, I already introduced myself, how about you? What are your names?" She asked while she was searching around the classroom using her index finger to point her students. She stopped where Sam and I were sitting, "Let us start at the back, shall we?" She also made an action to direct me to stand up.

"Sure Chloe," I said, well, I better get used to calling her that. "My name is Carlotta Taylor Shay, Carly for short. I live with my older brother in Bushwell Plaza, in apartment 8-C," I said as I sat back down. Chloe nodded and proceeded with the other students. I know everybody else but a lot were quite unfamiliar.

I can recall four or five names from those I don't know. I remember Jenny, Danielle, Karl, and Maxine. Wait; there is still one name that I can't get out of my head. It's Fredward Karl Benson, but he wants to be called Freddie for short.

I think Freddie was the guy who sped by us awhile ago, but I let it pass because he did apologize during recess. I was noticing him… fine, I was observing him and I noticed that he was a real gentleman. I thought guys like him only existed in my wildest dreams but I guess my wildest dreams came true.

Sam once caught me staring at his direction and conclusions instantly ran through her head. She approached me and was pouring me a ton of questions. She kept teasing me and stuff. She was like, 'You like him do you?' and 'I know you like him and to tell you, I don't agree with you there.' I wanted to tell Sam that I don't like Freddie, but that would be lying to her, right?

After a week seated at the back, Chloe arranged our permanent seating arrangements for the first semester. I was seated at the second row in the second column. I was always seated at this exact same spot in different classrooms but I never complained because in this position, I am able to listen more and get distracted less. But that could be changed since Freddie is seated right in front of me and he was beside Carmen, the school's it-girl!

Carmen is the pack leader of the group I like to call, MEANIES… She was mean to every single girl who dared walk her way or even look her way. I think she's like that because she was insecure, but that's just me. She also likes pushing people around like she owns them. She also can't get in trouble because her family owns the school and if we fight back or even talk back, it's instant expulsion.

After a month of being sophomores, Freddie and I became official best friends and we would hang out with Sam everyday after school and just talk about anything. Anything except one particular topic, our feelings…

Eventually, he was the one who started our conversation about our inner feelings.

"So, I heard that you never had a boyfriend and no one ever asked you out," Freddie choked out like he was struggling with his words.

"Well… yeah, I never had a boyfriend but two guys already asked me out and I never told anyone about them so just shush about it, 'kay?" I whispered. I really never told anyone about my two suitors because I was sure I was not good enough for them.

"Ohhh, but do you like someone right now? I mean… has anyone caught your heart lately?" Freddie said, and after that he smirked.

"I really can't say that he already caught my heart, but I do like someone," OMG! I think I'm blushing, I feel the heat in my cheeks. What if he sees? I'll just look away. He didn't ask me anymore questions and he fell silent.

"Now it's my turn Fredward," I smirked but didn't turn to look at him again, he was about to react but I talked even before he can open his mouth.

"Do you like someone? If you do, describe her for me," I said. I don't know where that came from but I was glad I was able to ask him that.

He answered truthfully, "Well… yeah, I like this girl. She's the coolest person I have ever met in my entire life, and she is really thoughtful. She is a brunette and has brown eyes."

My mouth felt dry, but I don't know why. I looked back at him and he instantly locked his eyes on mine. His head was getting bigger! Wait, he was leaning closer to me. I wanted to retreat but I can feel that my attraction to him wasn't just emotionally; it was like his lips had a negative charge and it was attracting my positively-charged lips.

Then I felt his lips on my lips, my eyelids then felt heavy but before things could get longer, I did the worst thing during that moment. I pulled away from his lips and ran away as fast as I can.

He chased me but I didn't look back. When I couldn't take it anymore I stopped, he turned me around and held both of my shoulders. He looked me in the eyes but I looked away.

"Carly… look me in the eyes, please…" he pleaded. I looked at him as he apologized.

"I'm sorry, maybe it was a bit fast to kiss you…" he started. I was about to talk but he placed his fingers on my lips.

"Let me finish, I'm truly and deeply sorry, I know that what I did was wrong and I want you to forgive me… can we still be friends?" he asked me.

"No…" I said, and I saw hurt in his eyes, "…we're best friends," I continued and as I said it he trapped me in a tight bear hug. Now, I was hugging my best friend back.

After a few weeks, our friendship was still growing and Sam was always with us… we were like the inseparable trio, the three musketeers… all for one and one for all!

But one day, when I saw Freddie holding hands with Carmen, I felt like crying. I ran to the nearest **comfort** room and hid at the last cubicle and locked myself in there. I heard a bunch if girls come inside, they were talking about lip gloss, skirts, and most especially… guys.

I heard one girl said that Freddie asked Carmen out the other day and the girl who was standing in front of her was so happy that I heard her clap her hands three times. When I heard her, my tears came flowing out my eyes again.

When they left, I realized that I had made the biggest mistake with my best friend.

He still tried to fulfill his duties as my best friend but he spent less time with me and Sam. He never stops by my locker to talk to me anymore and I rarely see him during lunch. Carmen even commanded me to stop talking to him and if I would talk to him, she would get me expelled.

I wanted to tell her to Freddie but I think he would think that I was just jealous of their relationship so I kept silent. Now, every time he goes near me I walk away, when he talks to me I look uninterested… and after five days, he didn't try to talk to me again.

Everyday, I see him and Carmen. Holding hands while they were surrounded by her posse, laughing at nothing while they were by the fountain. But then, she kept bossing him around and he decided to break up with her. I guess their relationship didn't last as long as I thought about it.

He apologized to me and Sam, I was about to apologize as well but he stopped me. He told me that I had no fault in all that happen the past two months but I know I was a big part of it. I insisted to say sorry but he really wouldn't let me so I just hugged him and told myself that I had my best friend back for the second time.

We remained best friends, but deep inside me… I know I lost my chance to be with him… but I am sure that I will never lose him as a best friend ever again and I will become the best, best friend he will ever have...

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**A/N: Do you think I should write another chapter in Freddie's POV?**

** This is a story I wrote while I was in my bedroom thinking about what I can do to relieve boredom. I hope this wasn't too sappy or cheesy to anyone out there reading this, because this is a story I never thought I would be willing to write.**

** I have been writing stories more often now because I have the time to write again…**

** This is a story of two strangers that grew to love each other at the end. The perfect quote for this story is: "When I met you, I never thought you would be so special in my life." - this is an improvised quote but I think it's still okay…**

** R&R… (^^_)\/**


	2. Freddie

**Here's Freddie's POV… Thanks to: sockstar, Lapsuit10, sweetStarre123 for reviewing Carly's POV…

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I was walking coolly to class, I looked at my wristwatch and I saw that one minute was left before homeroom starts. I ran as fast as I can and I sped by two girls, probably they would be two of my new classmates.

I am a transfer student, and my best friend Gibby transferred as well so I'm glad that I already have a friend around to talk to. I sat down on the front row, first column and listened to what the teacher would be saying.

"Welcome back students," she said. "I am Ms. Underwood, but I'm not that old so all of you can call me Chloe," she finished.

"I am done introducing myself, how about you? What are your names?" She asked. She was pointing with her finger; like she was searching something and she stopped moving her finger at the back portion of the classroom. I looked where she pointed; I think it was one of the girls I sped by a while ago.

"Let us start at the back, shall we?"

"Sure Chloe," she said. "My name is Carlotta Taylor Shay, Carly for short. I live with my older brother in Bushwell Plaza, in apartment 8-C," she said as she sat back down. Chloe nodded and proceeded with the other students. She looks beautiful, no other girl from my old school will match her beauty, and she was absolutely… stunning. She also has an amazing name, Carlotta.

Then, it was my turn to introduce myself. I don't know what to say but I decided to just say what comes out of my brain.

"I… I…" I stuttered and Gibby began giggling under his breath. "I am Fredward Karl Benson, I hate the name Fredward so I'm usually called Freddie, and even my mother calls me Freddie. My mom and I just moved here and now we live at the Bushwell Plaza, apartment 8-D." I then sat back down. I can't believe that Carly just lived in front of my apartment.

After homeroom, I approached Carly and I apologized, I'm glad she readily accepted my apology. I am, as they say, classified as a gentleman and I don't want to change because of peers, so I apologize to girls and do what a traditional gentleman does.

After a week, Chloe assigned our seatmates. I was still seated in the front row, but I was moved to the second column. Carly was behind me and my seatmate looked really nice, I think her name was Carmen.

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After thirty days, Carly and I were talking to each other more often, I think now we can be called as best friends. We always spend time together and with Sam, we also go and get smoothies after classes almost every day. We talk about everything with Carly, but I noticed that neither both of us brought out the topic about our feelings.

Then, when we were talking in the school grounds, the topic just came out of my mouth from nowhere.

"So, I heard that you never had a boyfriend and no one ever asked you out," I choked out. It was hard picking the right words; I need to consider her feelings.

"Well… yeah, I never had a boyfriend but two guys already asked me out and I never told anyone about them so just shush about it, 'kay?" She told me, I can't believe that she trusted me with this kind of secrets. I know we're already best friends and all but she told me that she never even told Sam, I feel special…

"Ohhh, but do you like someone right now? I mean… has anyone caught your heart lately?" I said then I smirked playfully.

"I really can't say that he already caught my heart, but I do like someone," she said, I think she's blushing… is she blushing? Oh my gosh, I think she is blushing when she looked away from me. What does that mean?

"Now it's my turn Fredward," she said without looking back at me, I felt nervous already. I was about to speak but she beat me to it.

"Do you like someone? If you do, describe her for me," I suddenly thought about my answer for quite a while before I answered her question; I tried to answer as truthfully as possible without her getting the hint that I like her.

"Well… yeah, I like this girl. She's the coolest person I have ever met in my entire life, and she is really thoughtful. She is a brunette and has brown eyes." I think she got the hint, oh gosh I think she did get the message. She looked back at me and I was determined to kiss her now.

I was leaning closer to her, I thought she would pull her head away from me but she didn't.

Then it happened, I was kissing her and my eyelids were closing slowly. The worst thing happened after three seconds; she pulled away and ran away from me as fast as possible. I grabbed all my things and chased her until she stopped.

I took hold of her shoulders and turned her to face me, but she didn't look me in the eyes.

"Carly… look me in the eyes, please…" I begged. With that, she looked me in the eyes as I apologized.

"I'm sorry; maybe it was a bit fast to kiss you…" I admitted, she was about to speak but I placed a finger on her lips.

"Let me finish, I'm truly and deeply sorry, I know that what I did was wrong and I want you to forgive me… can we still be friends?" I asked, with a little hope inside me.

"No…" she said, I felt depressed but she continued talking, "…we're best friends," when she finished talking I wrapped my hands around her and hugged her as tight as I could, and then she hugged me back. I was hugging my best friend after our misunderstanding.

After a few days, we were still the best of friends, with Sam and Gibby beside us. But Gibby was mostly with Tasha…

Carmen has been extra nice to me so I decided to ask her out and she said yes and eventually she became my girlfriend.

I was holding Carmen's hand and I was smiling, but I feel that she isn't the right one. Speaking of the right one, I got a glimpse of Carly by the lockers. She looked shocked and when I was decided to talk to her she ran to the nearest comfort room… wait, was that tears in her eyes?

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As a best friend, I still tried to spend time with Carly everyday but Carmen kept me occupied. I never get the chance to wait by Carly's locker to talk to her because Carmen always wants to spend every waking second with me.

When I can get away from Carmen, I would approach Carly, but she avoids me and when we talk to each other, she seems uninterested. I'm guessing Carmen has something to do with this.

Carmen is very possessive lately and I'm getting tired of it and she has been forcing me to do things I plan to do when I'm already married. She even told me to not talk to Carly.

I broke up with Carmen after she was bossing me around; I told her that she can't go between me and my best friend.

I looked for Carly after I have ended things with me and Carmen. I apologized and told her everything from the start to the end. She accepted my apology and was about to apologize as well but I stopped her because it was my fault entirely.

She hugged me and I hugged back, at least we were the best of friends again. I still do love her but for now I think remaining as best friends will be better.

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**A/N: Well, this is shorter than Carly's POV but I really don't know how to express a guy's heartbreak. This is the end of this fanfic, but suggestions, queries, comments and criticisms are gladly accepted… And can I ask anybody a favor? Can anyone give me a catchy name for a booth selling food and beverages? Please… R&R (^^_)\/ **


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